Cazenovia College has landed one of its largest donations ever - a $1 million gift given by a Texas man in memory of his wife.

James H. "Jimmy" St. Clair, of Houston, Texas, is donating $1 million in memory of Jill Hebl St. Clair, a 1962 alumna of Cazenovia College who passed away in 2006 after a short bout with cancer.

The gift will fund the establishment of the Jill Hebl St. Clair '62 Endowed Chair in Accounting and finance at the college, said Wayne Westervelt, speaking for the college.

This is the largest gift from a living individual in the college's history, college officials say. In 2000, a $1 million gift was given to the college from the estate/will of Charles and Elsie Beebe Haynes.

In 2009, Cazenovia College secured its largest donation ever - a $2 million gift from The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation for naming rights to the College's Art & Design Building, now Reisman Hall, Westervelt said.

Mark Tierno, president of Cazenovia College, said the $1 million gift, along with another $250,000 donated by St. Clair in 2007 "are making it possible for us to succeed in our mission of building futures for America's young people."

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Stephanie Macero, a senior development associate at Cazenovia College, said she developed a special bond with Jill over the years.

"She was a thoughtful and very gracious lady," she said. "Jill loved Cazenovia College and always told me that she wanted to give back to her alma mater."

Jimmy St. Clair said his wife "always spoke fondly of Cazenovia, eagerly read its publications, and made small donations to fund drives. She convinced me to attend her 40th reunion back in 2002, and I found the college enchanting."